Longitudinal side opening carton and blank therefor



Dec. 13, 1960 H. G. HANSELMAN, JR, EI'AL LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENINGCARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 195a 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 7 391 iB I l J 4o /9 l7 l7 /s i 22 I as A20 23 24 2. 5 A I I37 BY QQM ATTORNEYDec. 13, 1960 H. G. HANSELMAN, JR., EI'AL 2,964,231

LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY WM ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1960 H. G. HANSELMAN,JR., EIAL 2,964,231

LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR f al/yansezmavz, J?"- cznd Pairz'ck .LBundy BY410M ATTORNEY 2,964,231 LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENING CARTON AND BLANKTHEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 1958 Dec. 13, 1960 H. G. HANSELMAN, JR., EIAL 5Sheets-Sheet 4 and Pairzcir L'. Bu 91d BY av mow Dec. 13, 1960 H. G.HANSELMAN, JR, ETAL 2,964,231

LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Jan. 8, 1958 and Pazrz'c/r LBundj/ ihga.@&mt

A'l IORNEY .W n q M a u 3 d d d n m w w m 2 q 2 6 v r I m 4 q m 6 g: z 1

d. a Q a m u d a a 8 m m 3 4C 4 \fi q 8 l 4 4 q 4 United States Patent"LONGITUDINAL SIDE OPENING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Harold G. Hanselman,Jr., Kalamazoo, and Patrick L. Bundy, Battle Creek, Mich., assignors toMichigan Carton Co., :Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of MichiganFiled Jan. '8, 1 958, Ser. No. 707,701 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) ,Thepresent invention relates broadly to cartons, and in its specific phasesto alengthwise slide-opening hard pack cigarette package.

Until recently most cigarettes were packed in soft pack packages oftwenty cigarettes each. Those packages, especially after a fewcigarettes were used out of same, were subject to injury of theremainingcigarettes in the package unless very carefully handled. Fliptop hard pack cigarette packages then came into use as a means ofgivingadditional protection to the cigarettes remaining after the firstfew had been used from the package. These flip top packages were ratherexpensive to-produce, caused some difficulty in closing when full orsubstantially full of cigarettes, and exposed only the end of thecigarettes for removal. It was a recognition of these difliculties andshortcomings. of such hard pack-cigarette packages, which led to theconception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly among the objects of the present invention is the provisionof a simple and inexpensive carton and [blank from which to form thesame, such novel construction being one which permitsu nusuallyinexpensive and expeditious manufacture with little waste.

Another object is to provide a novel carton which is well adapted forcigarettes and may be conveniently opened lengthwise of its front, upona longitudinal back hinge line, for ready cigarette removal, and may beeasily reclosed after each such removal.

A further object is to provide a hard pack cigarette cartonformed from aone-piece blank and precut lengthwise to facilitate initial opening ofthe package.

A further object is to provide an end stabilized hard pack cigarettepackage which is easily manipulated with one hand after same has beeninitially opened.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention willappear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the special carton and -.blank therefor hereinafterfully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexeddrawings and the following description setting forth in detail certainmeans for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating,however, but several of various ways in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

Figure l is a plan view showing one form of blank for producing a sideopening carton in accordance with the present invention.

Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, are perspective views showing foldingoperations which are successively performed in forming a carton from theblank of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the complete carton, having a portionbroken'away for better understanding of the construction involved.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6, lookingin the direction of the arrows, the -.carton, however, being turned to adifferent position.

t. v g 2,964,23l

, Patented .Dec. 13, 195,0

2 Figure 8 is a longitudinal section taken on line Figure 7, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure ,7but showing the carton partiallyopened.

line 12-12 of Figure 11, looking in the directionof ,the

arrows, the carton, however, being partially opened.

The blank B of Figure l is folded in various ways, as shown in Figures 2to 5, inclusive .to form the complete carton illustrated in Figures 6[tov8, inclusive; and this carton is .openable at itsfront .as seen in.Figure .9,

The blank B isofrelongated generally rectangular form. and is cutfromsheet material such as cardboard, which is relatively rigidmaterial- This blank includes a rectangular back wallpanel .15 which .iselongated transversely .of said blank and is divided, .by .a hinge line16 .into two halves.

Two elongated rectangular edge wall .panels 18 and 19 are integrallyjoined along longitudinal fold lines .20 and 21 to the longitudinaledges of .the back wall panel 15, respectively.

An inner elongated rectangular .front wallpanel 22 is integrally joinedalong longitudinal fold line. 23 to the outer longitudinalv edge of theedge wall panel 18- and .is preferably a. little wider than half thewidth of the back wall. panel .15to provide reinforcement. for the slitopening 40 of outer .front wallv panel. 24,-which it underlies.

An outer elongated rectangular front wall panel 24 is integrally joinedalonga fold line 25 to the outerlongitudinal edge of. the edge wall.panel 19 and is of substantially the same width as the back wall panel15. The panels 24 and 22 areat opposite ends of the blank B, and all ofthe panels 15, 18, 19, 22 and 24 are of the same length and have theirends aligned longitudinally of the blank.

Two rectangular outer end wall panels 26 are integrally joinedv alongfold lines 27 to the ends of the. back .wall panel 15, respectively. Theouter endwall panels 26 are elongated longitudinally of the blank Band-are of a length substantially equal to the width of the back wallpanel 15. The outer end wall panels 26 have two slits 28 which extendfrom the ends of thehirrge line 16 of back wall panel 15 to points nearthe outer longitudinal edges of. said outer end wall panels 26,respectively, leaving these panels 26 with restricted uncut portions 29at the outer ends of theslits 28.

Two end wall flaps 30 are integrally joined alongfold lines 31 to theends of the edge wall panel 18; and two additional end wall flaps 32 areintegrally joined along .fold lines 33 to the ends of the: edge-wallpanel .19.

Two inner end wall panels 34 are integrally joined along fold lines 35to the ends of the inner front wall of the inner front. wall panel 22,.said. panels 34 have curved-edge extensions 36 which project beyond thefree edge 37 of said panel 22.and form end supports for the finished.carton. as shown in Figures 7, 8,.and9.

Intermediate rectangular end wall panels '38 are in-- tegrally joinedalong fold lines 139 to the ends of. theouter front wall panel 24,respectively, and are of a length substantially equal to the width ofsaid outerfront wall panel 24.

'A slit 40, which, for stability of the carton front panel and ease ofclosing the finished carton under conditions of use, is preferablysinuous, is formed longitudinally in the outer front wall panel 24 andis located about 1I-= 3 trally thereof; and two slits 41 are formed inthe intermediate end wall panels 38, respectively. These slits 41communicate at their inner ends with the slit 40; and the outer ends ofsaid slits 41 terminate in slightly spaced relation with thelongitudinal edges of the panels 38, leaving the latter with restricteduncut portions 42.

At the outer side of the blank B, on the inner front wall panel 22adjacent the fold line 23 and on the inner ends of the inner end wallpanels 34, glue is indicated at 43. Also, at the outer side of theblank, glue is indicated at 44 and 45, on the end wall flaps 30 and 32near the fold lines 31 and 33, respectively. Additional glue isindicated at 46 at the inner side of the blank on the outer longitudinaledge portions of the outer end wall panels 26.

At least the glue 43 is applied at the factory, as it is there used tosecure the outer front wall panel 24 upon the inner front wall panel 22,and the inner end wall panels 34 to the intermediate end wall panels 38,when the blank is folded beyond the intermediate stage of Figure 2 tothe condition seen in Figure 3. The partly completed carton shown inthis latter view is folded flat at the factory in readiness for shipmentto packing plants at which the succeeding carton assembly steps and thecarton filling operation are performed. It is during performance ofthese succeeding assembly steps that the glue 44, 45 and 46 is used.Therefore, this glue 44, 45 and 46 may be applied as the assembly stepsare performed or, if it has been applied at the factory, it may simplybe dampened for use.

When the folded-flat blank is opened by the packer to the conditionshown in Figure 3, one end of the carton, for instance the right handend, is closed by (l) folding the end wall flaps 30 and 32 inwardlytoward each other as seen in Figure 4; (2) jointly folding the inner endwall panel 34 and the intermediate end wall panel 38 inwardly, as seenin Figure (3) securing one end of said inner end wall panel 34 to theflap 30 by means of the glue 44; (4) securing the other end of theintermediate end wall panel 38 to the flap 32 by means of the glue 45;(5) inwardly folding the outer end wall panel 26 as seen at the right ofFigure 6, and (6) securing said outer end wall panel 26 to saidintermediate end wall panel 38 by means of the glue 46.

The carton, with one end closed, is then filled and the other end of thecarton closed in the same manner as above described. The filled andcompleted carton is then in the form shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8. Forbetter illustration, however, the carton contents have been omitted fromFigures 7 and 8, and also from Figure 9 which shows the carton partlyopened.

Considering the completed carton in the position shown in Figures 7 and8, the two-end wall flaps 30 project upwardly from the lower edge wallpanel 18 and the two flaps 32 project downwardlv from the upper edgewall 19. The inner end wall panels '34 project rearwardly from the innerfront wall panel 22 and are secured at 44 against the outer sides of thelower flaps 30 but the extensions 36 are free of connection with theupper flaps 32. The intermediate end wall panels 38 proiect rearwardlyfrom the outer front wall panel 24 and are secured at 43 to theintermediate panels 34 and also are secured at 45 to the uooer flaps 32.above the extens ons 36. The outer end wall panels 26 proiect forward vfrom t e back wall panel 15 and are secured bv the lue 46. Figure 5,against the outer sides of the intermediate panels 38. The sinuous slit40 of the outer front wall panel 24 is somewhat below the upper edge 37of the inner front wall panel 22 and the slits 28 and 41 of the panels26 and 38 respectively are in lateral registration with each other. Thecarton is held in this condition by the restricted uncut panel portions29, Figure 6, at the front ends of the outer end .wall panel slits 28.

To open the carton, it is simply necessary to break therestrictedportions 29 and relatively swing the upper and lower halves of thecarton upon the hinge line 16 of the back wall panel 15, Figure 9.During this movement, the upper end wall flaps 32 and the upper portionsof the intermediate end wall panels 38 slide upon the extensions 36 andthese extensions remain between said flaps 32 and panels 38 unless thecarton is opened excessively. The closing movement of the carton is thussmoothly guided and the final movement is aided by the fluted formationsof the meeting edges of the outer front wall panel 24, said flutedformations being due to the sinuous form of the slit 40.

In the blank B of Figure 10, the various panels, flaps and slitscorrespond to those of the blank B in Figure l. The same identifyingnumbers have therefore been used, plus the exponent a; and thedilferences between the two blanks will be explained below.

The outer edges 47 of the inner end wall panels 34 are devoid ofextensions and are obliquely disposed at an obtuse angle to the freeouter edges of said panels 34. The slits 41 of the Outer end wall panels38 are oblique and disposed in outwardly converging relation with theoblique end edges of the inner panels 34 The slits 28 of theintermediate end wall panels 26 are oblique and disposed in parallelrelation with the slits 41 of the panels 38. The slit 40 of the outerfront wall panel 24 is straight and interrupted by restricted panelportions 48. This slit 40 is closer to the free outer edge 49 of thepanel 24 than to the parallel inner edge of this panel.

The blank B is folded in the same manner as the blank of Figure 1 andsuitably glued to form the complete carton of Figure 11. In this carton,when considered in the position shown in Figures 11 and 12, the slits 28and 41 incline from the front wall 22, 24 of the carton to the hingeline 16 and the upper edges 47 of the inner end wall panels 34 declinefrom the upper edge 37 of the inner front wall panel 22 to said hingeline 16. The slot 40 of the outer front wall panel 24 is closer to thelower edge wall panel 18 than the hinge line 16 is to said edge wallpanel 18 By breaking the restricted uncut panel portions 42"- and 48,Figure 11, the carton halves may be relatively swung on the hinge line16 and the carton thus opened as shown in Figure 12. It may be re-closedeasily and smoothly after each removal of some of the contents.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageousprovision has been made for attaining the desired ends. However,attention is invited to the possibility of making minor variationswithin the spirit and scope of the invention as shown and described. Thedirectional terms such as upper, lower, downwardly," front, et eetera,have been used as an aid in describing the invention in the variouspositions illustrated, and are not to be considered as a limitation onthe invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employedinstead of those explained, change being made as regards the carton andblank therefore which has been disclosed, provided the means stated byany of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention:

1. An elongated substantially rectangular blank from which to form asealed longitudinal front-opening carton, said blank comprising anelongated rectangular back wall panel divided by a longitudinal hingeline substantially into two halves, two elongated rectangular edge wallpanels joined along longitudinal fold lines to the longitudinal sideedges of said back wall panel respectively, an inner elongatedrectangular front wall panel integrally joined along a longitudinal foldline to the outer longitudial edge of one of said edge wall panels, saidinner front wall panel being of less width than said back wall panel, anouter elongated rectangular front wall panel integrally joined along alongitudinal fold line to the outer longitudinal edge of the other ofsaid edge wall panels, said .outer front. wall panel being ofsubstantially the same width as said back wall panel, said inner andouter front wall panels being disposed at the ends of the blank,respectively, all of the aforesaid panels being of uniform length andhaving their ends aligned longitudinally of the blank, two rectangularouter end wall panels integrally joined to the ends of said back wallpanel respectively, said outer end wall panels being elongatedlongitudinally of the blank and being of a length substantially equal tothe width of said back wall panel, said outer end wall panels having twoslits extending from the ends of the aforesaid hinge line, to pointsnear the outer longitudinal edges of said outer end wall panelsrespectively, four end flaps integrally joined along fold lines to theends of said edge wall panels respectively, two inner end wall panelsintegrally joined along fold lines to the ends of said inner front wallpanel respectively, said inner end wall panels extending longitudinallyof the blank and having their inner longitudinal edges of a lengthsubstantially equal to the width of said inner front Wall panel, and twointermediate end wall panels integrally joined along fold lines to theends of said outer front wall panel, respectively, said intermediate endwall panels being elongated longitudinally of the blank and being of alength substantially equal to the width of said outer front wall panel,said outer front wall panel and said intermediate end wall panels beingslitted along a line which extends longitudinally of said outer frontwall panel and transversely of said intermediate end wall panels topoints near the outer longitudinal edges of said intermediate end wallpanels.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which the outer ends of saidinner end wall panels are provided with integral extensions projectingbeyond the free outer edge of said inner front wall panel, said slits ofsaid outer end wall panels being unidirectional with said hinge line,the slits of said intermediate end wall panels being parallel with saidslits of said outer end wall panels, the slit' of said outer front wallpanel being sinuous and disposed substantially centrally of this panel.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which the outer end edges ofsaid inner end wall panels are oblique and disposed at an obtuse angleto the free outer edge of said inner front wall panel, said slits ofsaid outer end wall panels being oblique and disposed in outwardlyconverging relation with said oblique end edges of said inner end wallpanels, the slits of said intermediate end wall panels being oblique anddisposed in parallel relation with said oblique slits of said outer endwall panels, said outer front wall panel being slitted along aligned,slightly spaced straight lines, these lines being closer to the freeouter edge of said outer front wall panel than to the parallel inneredge of this panel.

4. A front-opening carton of cardboard or similar relatively rigidmaterial, said carton having cigarettes or other goods therein,comprising an elongated rectangular back wall panel having alongitudinal hinge line, two elongated rectangular edge wall panelsprojecting forwardly from said back wall panel and integral with thelongitudinal edges thereof, an inner elongated rectangular front wallpanel integral with the front edge of one of said edge wall panels, saidinner front wall panel being of less width than said back wall panel andhaving a free longitudinal edge spaced from the other of said edge wallpanels, an outer elongated rectangular front wall panel integral withthe front edge of said other edge wall panel and extending substantiallyto the plane of said one edge wall panel, said outer front wall panelhaving a longitudinal slit between said one of said edge walls and saidfree edge of said inner rfront wall panel, the portion of said outerfront wall panel at the side of said slit toward said one edge wallpanel being secured to said inner front wall panel, the portion of saidouter front wall panel at the other side of said slit 6 being free .ofconnection with said inner front: wall panel, two end wall flapsintegral with the ends-of'said one edge wall panel and projecting towardsaid other edge wall panel, two additional end wall flapsintegral withthe ends of said-other edge wall panel and projecting toward said oneedge wall panel, two inner end wall panels integral with the ends ofsaid inner front wall panel and projecting toward said back wall panel,said inner end wall panels being secured against the outer sides of thefirst mentoned end flaps but being free from connection with said twoadditional end flaps, two rectangular intermediate end wall panelsintegral with the ends of said outer front wall panel and projectingsubstantially to the plane of said back wall panel, said intermediateend wall panels having slits extending from the ends of the slit of saidouter front wall panel to points near the ends of the hinge line of saidback wall panel, the portions of said intermediate end wall panels atone side of the slits of the latter and toward said one edge wall panelbeing secured against said inner end wall panel, the portions of saidintermediate end wall panels at the other side of the slits of thelatter being free from connection with said inner end wall panels butbeing secured to said two additional end wall flaps, and two outerrectangular end wall panels integral with the ends of said back wallpanel and secured against the outer sides of said intermediate end wallpanels, said outer end wall panels having slits registering with saidslits of said intermediate end wall panels and terminating in slightlyspaced relation with the front edges of said outer end Wall panels,whereby said carton may be readily opened along said slit extending tothe ends of said hinge line to expose the goods contained in saidcarton, and with said inner front undercovering and closing said slitinthe front wall of said wall carton when the latter is closed.

5. A carton structure as specified in claim 4, in which said inner endwall panels have extensions slidably received between said twoadditional end flaps and the opposed portions of said inter-mediate endwall panels.

6. A carton structure as specified in claim 4, in which said inner endwall panels have extensions slidably received between said twoadditional end flaps and the opposed portions of said intermediate endwall panels, the slit of said front wall panel being sinuous anduninterupted full length of said panel. the sinuous edges of said frontwall slit interengaging to help stabilize the two portions of said frontpanel against relative endwise movement.

7. A carton structure as specified in claim 4, in which the end edges ofsaid inner end wall panels which extend toward said other edge wallpanel are disposed at an acute angle to said inner front wall panel andextend substantially to said hinge line of said back wall panel, theslit of said outer front wall panel being spaced a shorter distance fromsaid one edge wall panel than said hinge line is spaced from said oneedge wall panel, the registering slits of said intermediate and outerend wall panels being oblique and in rearwardly converging oblique endedges of said inner end wall panels.

8. A carton structure as specified in claim 4, in which the end edges ofsaid inner end wall panels which extend toward said other edge wallpanel are disposed at an acute angle to the edge of said inner frontwall panel and extend substantially to said hinge line of said back wallpanel, the slit of said outer front wall panel being spaced a shorterdistance from said one edge wall panel than said hinge line is spacedfrom said one edge wall panel, the registering slits of saidintermediate and outer end wall panels being oblique and in rearwardlyconverging relation with said oblique end edges of said inner end wallpanels, said slit of said outer front wall panel being interrupted forshort distances at intervals.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Hultin Feb. '22, 1944 Smith Oct. 31, 1944FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain AD. 1907 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATION F CORRECTION Patent No, $964,231 December l3 1960 HaroldG. Hanselman Jr. 1 et a1,

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 1, line 36, for ",permitsu nusually". read permits unusuallycolumn 4, line 38', for "slot" read slit column 6, line 58, after"converging" insert I relation with said Signed and sealed this 4th dayof July 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER I 7 DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

